Sleep apnea is a severe sleeping disorder caused by an individual’s breathing being interrupted during sleep. Individuals who suffer from sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during sleep, as many as hundreds of times at night.
Sleep apnea can affect anybody of any age at any time. Sleep apnea can be the underlying cause of several physiological and psychological conditions. Strokes and hypertension have been attributed to sleep apnea, and more worrying for suffering patients is the terrifying prospect of heart failure or attack. Sleep apnea is often responsible for underperformance at school, work, and everyday activities.
Being male, overweight, or over the age of forty all significantly increase the risk of suffering from sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which you stop breathing periodically while you sleep. When you stop breathing, the lack of oxygen alerts your brain and temporarily wakes you up to restart proper breathing.
Types Of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
The breathing interruptions in OSA result from a physical blockage in the airways. This is the most common form of sleep apnea.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
The breathing interruptions result from issues in the brain’s respiratory control center.
Mixed Sleep Apnea
The breathing interruptions are a result of both OSA and CSA factors.
What Are The Signs Of Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is not only considered an annoying condition that affects the quality of sleep of loved ones, but it can also have serious health consequences for the person who snores.
The symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Difficulty sleeping or insomnia,
- Snoring loudly at night,
- Waking up short of breath,
- Snorting or choking sounds during the night,
- Waking up sweaty,
- Drowsiness or fatigue, or/and
- Falling asleep during the day.
Dentists Play A Very Important Role In The Treatment Of Sleep Apnea
At Gasior Family Dental – Ann Arbor, we collaborate with family doctors, sleep specialists, and ENT specialists to achieve the best results for patients in Ann Arbor, MI. Sleep apnea is a severe breathing issue that needs proper diagnosis and treatment.
Sleep apnea treatments help patients and their partners get better, restful sleep. Treatments also decrease the severe risks of high blood pressure and strokes, often aggravated by the lack of sufficient oxygen concentration while sleeping.
There are many treatment options for sleep apnea, including oral appliances and CPAP machines. In rare cases, surgery may be recommended.
Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) Machines
These electronic devices use an internal fan to draw air inside. The air is then humidified and pressurized before being sent to the user through a connective base and face mask, which they breathe through.
The CPAP machine delivers air continuously to the patient via a long, flexible hose connecting to a nasal mask. When the patient wears the mask as directed, CPAP treatment is reliably effective.
Some patients may need to get used to wearing the mask or the noise associated with the machine.
Oral Appliances
As an alternative to the CPAP machines, dentists at our Ann Arbor dental office provide patients with a dental appliance to wear while they sleep. It relieves sleep apnea and snoring by preventing obstructions of the patient’s airway. Oral appliances are easy to wear, care for, and clean.
Depending on the results of your sleep study, a dentist may determine if you are a good candidate for treatment with oral appliance therapy. Designed to fit the contours of your mouth, these lightweight prescription devices slip over the teeth. These devices look and feel like a retainer or nightguard. Oral appliances reposition the jaw and depress the tongue, which helps to keep the airway open. So you can breathe freely and sleep without interruption through the night.
At Gasior Family Dental – Ann Arbor, we offer or recommend custom-fitted oral appliances to shift your tongue and lower jaw muscles to ensure the airway stays open. This helps airflow and prevents you from waking up during the night.
Although an oral mouthpiece isn’t for everyone, it can go a long way in eliminating or decreasing the effects of snoring and sleep apnea.
These appliances may be appropriate for patients with mild apnea or those who have not complied with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, the “standard” treatment for apnea.
Surgery
Surgery is a potential treatment for OSA if non-surgical treatment options prove ineffective or cease to be viable.
Using the latest surgical techniques and technologies, our team of dental professionals in Ann Arbor, MI, has been able to treat sleep apnea and a host of issues related to the mouth and jaw’s soft and hard tissue structures.
Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA)
Maxillomandibular advancement is one of the most effective sleep apnea surgical procedures. It involves adjustments to the bone structure of the upper and lower jaw to help adjust the mouth’s soft tissues, including the soft palate and the tongue. This helps keep the airways free from potential obstructions.
Surgery For The Soft Palate
In several cases, an individual’s soft palate is what causes the interruptions in breathing to occur. The surgery for the soft palate may involve the removal of part of the soft palate or tightening of the soft palate to help prevent it from obstructing the path of the breathing passages.
Nasal Surgery
Sometimes the ideal treatment for a case of obstructive sleep apnea is surgically revising the nasal cavity and airways. In many instances, this means addressing issues with a deviated septum, helping improve breathing, and addressing a number of other respiratory problems in the process.
Gasior Family Dental – On the Frontlines of Sleep Apnea Treatment
A sleep physician must diagnose sleep apnea. With that diagnosis and a written prescription for an oral appliance, we can fabricate an oral device to help you with snoring and sleep apnea.
A sleep study may be recommended both before treatment and post-treatment.
We offer a full range of specialist dental services. Our services include cosmetic dentistry, smile makeovers, dental implants, endodontics, orthodontics, Dental Hygiene, and much more.
Our treatment procedures are based on the latest proven research and technology.
Being able to sleep soundly is a privilege that everyone deserves.
We provide practical, honest advice you can trust and are always willing to discuss any concerns regarding your oral health.
Call us to speak to a dentist about how your sleep apnea-related issues can be addressed.
